Refund Policy

Our refund policy has changed due to Camp's inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks beyond our control and the following will be our policy effective August 26, 2024.

Deposit/Tuition

For reservations before November 1, no deposit is required at the time of reservation; your $1,000 deposit per child will be due on November 1. For deposits between November 1 and March 31, a $1,000 deposit per child is required with your reservation. Your deposit will be applied against your total tuition and your balance is due in full on April 1. For reservations made on or after April 1, you must pay in full (both the deposit and balance) with your reservation.  

Payment may be made by check, e-check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. Prices quoted are for payment by check.  A three percent (3%) processing fee will be added to payments made by credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or AmEx) and one percent (1%) for payment by eCheck to cover the processing fee.  

If you make a reservation before April 1, you may elect to make installment payments with the final payment due on April 1. Installment payments are due on the 1st of each month. If paying by check, please make it payable to Shaffer's High Sierra Camp and mail it to 248 San Marin Drive, Novato, CA 94945-1221.   

Your space is NOT reserved until your check has cleared or your credit card payment is processed. Late payments incur a $10 late fee. Returned checks incur a $35 fee.  

Refund Policy

Deposit/Tuition. For reservations made before April 1, your deposit/full tuition is refundable less a cancellation fee (see below) up to and including March 31 or 7 days after your enrollment, whichever is later up to but not after the start of your session. However, because we hire staff and purchase equipment and supplies based on our anticipated enrollment, the deposit/full tuition is not otherwise refundable starting April 1.  

For reservations made on or after April 1, your tuition is refundable for 7 days after the reservation is made or the beginning of your child's session, whichever is earlier, less a cancellation fee (see below).  

Refund Policy for Camp Closure Due to Events Beyond Our Control. In the event Camp is unable to open, must temporarily suspend operations for some portion of a session, or must close early due to an event beyond our control, including weather, inaccessibility, threat of wildfire or unhealthful levels of its smoke, pandemic, civil unrest, governmental order or other such reason, Camp shall not be responsible for any costs, losses, or other damages beyond a pro-rata refund of tuition for days lost, less the deposit, which is non-refundable.  

Example 1: You made a $1,000 deposit, your tuition is $4,000, and Camp is forced to close 6 days into a 12-day session. You would be entitled to half of your tuition ($2,000) less your $1,000 deposit, for a net refund of $1,000.  

Example 2: You made a $1,000 deposit, your tuition is $4,000, and Camp is forced to close 9 days into a 12-day session (75% through the session). You would be entitled to 25% of your tuition ($1,000) less your $1,000 deposit, for a net refund of $0.  

Example 3:  You made a $1,000 deposit, your tuition is $4,000, and Camp is forced to close 10 days into a 12-day session (83.3% through the session). You would be entitled to 10/12ths or 17% of your tuition or $680, less your $1,000 deposit, for a net refund of $0.  

Example 4: You made a $1,000 deposit, your tuition is $4,000, and Camp is forced to close 4 days into a 12-day session but reopens after being closed for 2 days. You would be entitled to 10/12ths or 17% of your tuition or $680, less your $1,000 deposit, for a net refund of $0. 

For purposes of this refund policy, being “forced” to close includes a mandatory order or an advisory order to evacuate by a public entity including but not limited to a fire department or health department, but also includes the Camp’s determination exercising its own independent judgment that an unreasonable health or safety risk exists due to an event beyond its control, such as from high concentrations of wildfire smoke.  

Reason: The reason for this part of our refund policy is Camp’s inability to obtain adequate insurance coverage for these risks. Losing one of our nine weeks of camp is equivalent to a year-round business losing nearly 6 weeks of business where all the expenses continue, and all of the income is forfeited. It’s a loss that could take several years to recover, and so we are asking for you to share to a limited extent – your deposit – in this risk so that we can continue our program in the beautiful wilderness of the Sierra Nevada mountains. 

Tuition Insurance. You should consider the possibility that the Camp's opinion as to the potential health/safety risk from a hazard may differ from your own; the Camp may be of the opinion that it can continue to operate safely, and you disagree. If you want your child to return home under such circumstances, there will be no refund. We highly recommend that you consider obtaining travel insurance that can cover you if an emergency, such as illness or injury, prevents your child from attending Camp, or where Camp is interrupted due to events beyond Camp’s control. Insurance such as Cancel-For-Any-Reason and Interruption-For-Any-Reason policies are your only avenue for obtaining a refund in the circumstances described here as non-refundable. You may obtain information from the insurance provider found above in this application (provided simply for your convenience), or through https://www.squaremouth.com/, which is similar to Expedia but for travel insurance. Check those policies for coverage benefits, costs, and time period within which you must purchase a policy. We understand you must purchase a policy within a limited period after enrolling so please don't delay. 

Cancellation Fee

To help us offset administrative costs, there will be a cancellation fee charged if you have to cancel before April 1. Cancellation fees are as follows: Cancel before February 1 - $100; Cancel February 1 through March 31 - $250; Cancel April 1 or later - NO REFUND. People who enroll after April 1 but cancel within 7 days of submitting their application or the start of their session, whichever comes first, are nevertheless entitled to cancel and receive a full refund less a cancellation fee of $250. Cancellation fees are charged per application, so families who cancel two children, for example, would incur a cancellation fee for each child's canceled application.  

Late Pick-Up Fee

You must pick up your child by 11:00 a.m. on the Friday at the end of your session or Saturday if your child is enrolled in Session 5. Because our staff are given time off or are otherwise leading activities, we do not have extra staff to supervise children whose parents are late in picking them up. If you are late picking up your child, we will have to make special staffing arrangements, and you will incur a fee of $60/hour/child.

Optional Activities

A camper's desire to participate in a raft trip and/or a horseback trail ride is confirmed with the camper approximately two days before the trip and relayed to the outfitters. Once confirmed, there are no refunds for non-attendance. All optional activities are subject to a minimum and maximum signup requirement and to weather and water conditions. If more campers sign up than the outfitters have room or for which we have transportation, children will be permitted to attend on a first-come, first-served basis (i.e., based on the date you enrolled your camper for the activity). If there is no space for your child on a horseback trail ride or a rafting trip, then you will receive a refund. Specialized Program Tracks are considered Optional Activities. Enrollment in a specialized program track will be on a first-come, first-served basis, as described above. Once a camper has secured a spot in one of the specialized program tracks and the program commences, there will be no refund if the camper withdraws. However, if the camper withdraws prior to the commencement of the specialized program track, then you will receive a full refund. Any unused optional activity credit, subject to the above, will be refunded. Refunds are made by September 15.

Camp Store Credit

The Camp stocks its store with toothpaste, sunglasses, batteries, water bottles, and other items that are frequently forgotten, lost, or broken. The store also carries high-quality clothing such as T-shirts and hoodies that are made to last. The store credit allows your camper to make purchases without worrying about carrying money. Any unused camp store credit is fully refundable regardless of if, when, or why a camper cancels or leaves camp. Refunds are made by September 15.

Transportation

If you make a paid reservation for bus transportation to/from Camp, that fee is fully refundable if the reservation is canceled prior to bus departure, but not after.

Date of Any Refund

If you are entitled to a refund, it will be made by September 15.

Expulsion for Inappropriate Behavior

Though rare, there are occasions when the Camp needs to expel a camper for inappropriate behavior. There are no refunds for campers expelled for inappropriate behavior. Inappropriate behavior includes possessing any weapon, violence or threats of violence, use of illegal or unauthorized drugs or alcohol, smoking, use of fire, vandalism, stealing, repeatedly displaying an uncooperative attitude or disrespect for others, and any other action that in the directors' opinion threatens the health, safety, or well-being of any person or animal, or the smooth operation of the Camp. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and the Camp is located on federal land, so Marijuana will be treated as an illegal drug. (If your child has a behavior issue, please be sure to disclose the details in the health form so that the Camp is informed and can help craft a supportive approach for your child, if possible. All health information is kept confidential and disclosed only on a need-to-know basis.)